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Arthur Dayne
Ser Arthur Dayne is the scion of the Torrentine, Master of Laws on Maric II's council, and currently assist in ruling Starfall while his brother is abroad at Harrenhall. Biography Born the second son to Maric II Dayne, Arthur always lived in the shadow of his elder brother Cedric. He was kind, intelligent, attentive and a fierce physical competitor, but he was always hard for tutors to control, a fact that earned him more than a few reprimands throughout his childhood. He did learn well, however, on his own time. Arthur spent much of his free time when not practicing in the arena reading books on history, philosophy, and military tactics. This habit he carried well into his adult life, and when the position of Master of Laws opened on his father's council, he was more than suited for the job. Growing up with Maric II as a father was difficult. Though the High King was well loved and known as a pious man before the Seven, rumors spread that he also harshly punished his children if they did not pray throughout the day as he did. It was rumored that both Cedric and Arthur experienced beatings from their father, though the older brother would often stand up to Maric and take the brunt of his wrath so Arthur did not have to. This formed a bond between all the siblings but especially so between the brothers. Cedric always felt protective of Arthur and in turn, Arthur felt that he owed his brother a life of loyal service and love. If the martial prowess of House Dayne was embodied in his brother Cedric, then Arthur was the embodiment of tactical and scholarly disciplines. That is not to say Arthur was an ineffectual fighter, his martial skills rivaled that of any Knight of the Palestone Order, and after Cedric's taking up of Dawn and the mantle of Sword of the Morning, Arthur took his time to diligently train in all facets of warfare and the laws of his Kingdom. A Bond Tested In Cedric’s absence, the aging Maric II treated Arthur with more contempt than ever before. He never made an attempt to hide his desire for Cedric’s return, even as Arthur took on more responsibility and proved his abilities to the Council of Starfall time and time again. Through all of this, an anger festered in Arthur as he came to see his father as no more than a zealot and a liar that was only to be tolerated until his brother could take his rightful place as High King. Eventually, of course, the Torrentine’s prodigal son did return to his home and family, and with a wife. Cedric’s return had an immediate effect on the royal family, and even Maric II seemed to change, though Arthur’s heart was hardened already. Still, the two brothers picked up their relationship as if no time had passed, and they were soon sparring together and pouring over resources that would prepare them for their respective futures. King Maric II Dayne arranged a betrothal between Arthur and the oldest daughter of Lord Blackmont, Lady Marya, who was only two years younger than her husband-to-be. Though Arthur still held deep resentment for his father and his increasingly erratic actions, he had not expected to fall so deeply in love with the woman who would become his wife. The two were soon married and gave birth to their son Ulrick not long after. The Thorn's War After the birth of the couple’s second daughter Elyse, word came to Starfall of the pirate Vortimer Flowers’ attack on the Crown Prince’s ship and the abduction of Lady Lyra and Nymeria. Cedric, battered and bloodied from the surprise attack and loss of his family, reunited with Arthur and set out immediately to take vengeance on the pirate king. The two took a group of Dayne ships and sailed up the Torrentine to catch Vortimer before he could slip by. Though they caught the pirate fleet and were easily victorious against the enemy, it was discovered that Vortimer and countless ships were making their way towards Starfall. As the brothers turned around and sailed downriver towards their home, they arrived to find on both land and sea a city under siege. While Cedric took to the city under the cover of darkness, Arthur elected to provide his brother with a distraction to keep Vortimer’s forces away, as well as an attempt to break through the city gates. On the causeway that connects Starfall to the mainland, Dayne forces under Ser Arthur fought valiantly but ultimately failed to breach the lines, though their attack did give Cedric the time he needed to make it into the city. As the sun rose and Cedric Dayne burst forth from the city gates to attack Vortimer Flowers and his pirate army, Arthur returned to his fleet and lead them to break through the pirate lines. Unlike his previous attempt upon the Wailing Bridge, he and the Dayne forces were victorious and Vortimer Flowers lay dead, but not without a great price to pay... Duty, Even Through Darkness During the conflict against the pirates, Arthur’s talents as a strategist evolved and were recognized, as well as the immense respect for leadership. His father, however, refused to acknowledge his youngest son’s successes even in the face of those who praised him. Arthur himself was awarded the position of Keeper of the Starstone Pass, a position that put him in charge of the kingdom’s border security. In addition to this, he took up the recently freed position of Lawmaster on his father’s council, a seat in which he proved to be quite adept over the years. Maric had become increasingly erratic over recent years and, having turned craven after the losses incurred from the war against the pirates, refused to send aid to the Greenbelt as they lay under siege from Durrandon. Knowing they would soon follow if Yronwood fell to the Stormlanders, Cedric and Arthur took a small portion of their father’s levies and the Knights of the Order against Maric’s wishes in order to help their fellow Dornishmen. Though the two kingdoms had long been at odds and were considered constant enemies, both brothers hoped it would be the start of a new era of Dornish freedom from foreign interference. As they met Durrandon on the field of battle and pushed the Stormlanders against the Red Mountains, alongside the Yronwood forces. Durrandon sounded a retreat, though the combined Dornish army still cut down a great number as they ran. During this time, the two brothers became well acquainted with the Yronwood sons Yorick and Anders, respectively. All four of them shared a dream of a united front against the foreign kingdoms that had plagued their lands for so long, though while Maric was still in power it would be unachievable. After the Torrentine’s sons returned home, they began to notice the rising medical issues of their father. Ailments both physical and mental had broken and scarred the old king, and in response Cedric and Arthur took up more responsibility than ever. Currently they jointly rule the kingdom in all but name, but as Cedric and Nymeria have ridden north to Harrenhall, Arthur is the official regent of Starfall, and is eager to prove that Maric’s time may officially be over. Category:House Dayne